Work holding and transferring device



Nov. 7, 1967 M. JUNKINS WORK HOLDING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Feb.a, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR f/"nesi -fU/7k/f75 Nov. 7, 1967 M.JUNKINS 5 WORK HOLDING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Nov. 7, 1967 WORK HOLDI NG AND TRANSFERRINGDEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet s 5m 5% K I 017 INVENTOR. I0??? .E/wesi' M Jwyam E. M. JUNKINS 3,351,032

Nov. 7, 1967 5 M. JUNKINS 3, 2

WORK HOLDING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1965 4 SheetsSheet 475 Fi .9 W75 INVENTOR. Ernest M Junkms United States Patent 3,351,032WORK HOLDING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Ernest M. Junkins, Wheeler Road,Monroe, Conn. 06468 Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 431,121 13 Claims. (Cl.112--2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A work holding and transferring unitfor use with a guiding means that guides work past the needle of asewing machine to form a predetermined line of stitching in which thework holder and the guiding means each carries aligning means thatcooperate for accurately aligning them to effect a precise transfer ofthe work with the work holder being mounted for free movement toaccommodate for a variable position of the guiding means.

In US. patent application Serial No. 105,193 filed April 24, 1961 byThomas F. Henebry and entitled Automatic Guiding Apparatus, now PatentNo. 3,170,423, there is disclosed an apparatus that holds work andguides the work with respect to a sewing machine needle in order'to formthe desired stitch path in the work. The apparatus includes a hollowfoot having a perforated bottom and the work is secured to the foot byat least suction. The foot is caused to traverse a path corresponding tothe stitch path and in order to assure that the path of stitches will beaccurately placed in the work, the work must be precisely positioned onthe foot.

The movement of the foot is accurately controlled substantially onlyadjacent the needle, as disclosed in said application, which causes theposition of the foot when remote from the needle to be not suflicientlyprecisely predictable to enable work to be transferred from a workholding station to the foot with the required assurance of accuracy.While it has been suggested to transfer work from a fixed work holdingstation to the foot this has not been found completely satisfactory asit presented difiiculties in causing the foot to become accuratelyaligned with the fixed work station and in addition required that thefoot be stationary at least while the work is being transferred.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a workholding and transferring device which enables the work to be transferredfrom the device to the foot of the automatic guiding apparatus, reliablyand with accuracy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a work holding andtransferring device for use with the above disclosed type guidingapparatus which enables the device to have work positioned thereon forsubsequent transfer to the foot irrespective of the particular locationof the foot during the positioning of the work and in which even aninexperienced operator may quickly and readily accurately position thework on the holding and transferring device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a work holdingand transferring device which is normally in a position where it isincapable of transferring work and is actuated to a position where itmay transfer the work when the foot is at a predetermined location inits path of travel and ready to receive the work.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a work holding andtransferring device in which the foot continuously moves and during aportion of the movement, the work is initially caused to be accuratelyaligned with the foot and then subsequently transferred.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide in a workholding and transferring device for automatically stopping the movementof the foot if work is not in position to be transferred to the foot.

In carrying out the present invention, a feature thereof resides in aWork holding and transferring device having a work holder that is formedwith a top, substantially flat surface that is perforated to enable workto be held on the surface by suction applied through the perforations. Arecess corresponding substantially exactly to the exterior shape of thework is formed on the top surface and the work is positioned in therecess with suction applied only to the recess. Accordingly, thelocation of the work on the holder is accurately controlled.

The holder is mounted for free rotational, lateral and longitudinalmovement and carries with it aligning means that cooperate with matingaligning means carried by the foot. The foot at a particular length onits path of travel effects engagement between the cooperating aligningmeans and by reason of the holder having free substantially universalmovement, the foot causes the holder to move until they both becomealigned. In one embodiment, the aligning means enables the foot tocontinue in its path of movement without stopping by causing the holderto move with the foot while in another embodiment the foot and holderare stationary during the transfer of the work.

After engagement of the aligning means, and the foot and holder arealigned the work is transferred from the holder to the foot. This isachieved in the specific embodiment herein described by applying suctionto the foot and air pressure to the holder to cause the work to movefrom the holder to the foot. After the transfer, the holder is movedaway from engagement with the foot so that each may then traverse itsown course.

In addition to being mounted for free rotational, lateral andlongitudinal movement, the holder also is mounted to be moved verticallybetween high and low positions. In the high position, the aligning meansof the holder is positioned to engage the aligning means of the foot andto have the foot and holder aligned. After the transfer, the holder isdropped to its low position where its aligning means is incapable ofmaintaining engagement with that of the foot. Thus the holder is freedfrom being caused to move within the foot. Additionally, in the lowposition the holder may be manually or otherwise moved from the generalarea where the foot is moving to an area that is always clear of thefoot and Where subsequent work may be positioned on the holder by anoperator. Moreover, after being loaded, the holder may, by remaining inits low position, be moved toa location in the holders path of movementwithout any possibility of interference with the foot, irrespective ofwhere the foot is located when the movement is made.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan of the work holding and transferring device of thepresent invention with portions of the above-disclosed automatic guidingapparatus being shown.

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 3 is. a section, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2with the holder in its low position after transferring work to the foot.

FIG. 4 is a detail, somewhat enlarged, taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the foot showing its aligning means.

FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram showing the interconnection ofthe electrical components of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the cam showing the relative dispositionsof the camming surfaces for initiating operations at predeterminedlocations of the foot.

FIG. 8 is a detail of another embodiment of a guide which may beutilized in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pan showing another embodiment ofaligning means. l

FIG. is a section taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of the cam showing the relative dispositionsof the camming surfaces for initiating operations at predeterminedlocations of the foot when the embodiment of the aligning means shown inFIG. 9 is employed.

FIG. 12 is an electrical schematic diagram showing the interconnectionsof various electrical components when the embodiment of the aligningmeans shown in FIG. 9 is employed.

Referring to the drawing, the work holding and transferring device ofthe present invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10and is mounted on a table 11 that supports a sewing machine 12. Asdisclosed in the above-noted application, the automatic guidingapparatus includes a cam 13 mounted for rotation on a tubular shaft 14with the shaft being supported for free longitudinal and lateralmovement. Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 14 is a foot 15 that ishollow and has a perforated lower surface 16. Suction and/or pressuremay be thus applied to the foot through the shaft 14 to hold work 17,such as pieces of fabric, against the bottom of the foot for movementtherewith.

The cam periphery drivingly engages a driving member 18 at a point whichis vertically aligned with the needle (not shown) and needle bar 19 ofthe sewing machine 12. As the driving member 18 is rotated, itsengagement with the periphery of the cam causes it to move the cam whilesensing means causes rotation of the tubular shaft 14 upon a deviationof the portions of the cam periphery adjacent the driving member 18deviating from either the path in which stitches are to be placed in thework or the rest of the path of movement of the foot. Thus, at anyparticular instant and particularly when the foot is remote from thedriving member 18, it is not known with s-uflicient certainty where thefoot may be, as the deviation at the driving member may be within aminimum amount of tolerance prior to it being sensed by the sensingmeans and subsequently corrected. However, the foot must be locatedwithin at least a small area whose size is dependent upon this toleranceand the distance of the foot from the engagement of the cam and drivingmember. Thus even though it is not known with sufficient accuracy wherethe foot is exactly located at any given location in its path, it isknown where it will be approximately located.

The work holding and transferring device 10 includes a hollow pan 20which may be made out of sheet metal having a perforated top surface 21on which is placed a work defining member 22 having a recess or cutout23 that corresponds to the periphery of the work 17. The member 22 isformed from a sheet of imperforate material such as plywood having athickness which is approximately that of the work and is detachablysecured on the top surface 21 to be held in place as by clamping means24. It will be appreciated that by accurately aligning the member 22 onthe surface 21 as by use of aligning pins 25, that the work may beeasily, surely and accurately positioned in the recess 23 and as theposition of the recess is accurately known with respect to the pan thenthe position of the work is accurately known with respect to the pan.

The pan 20 is hollow and includes a downwardly extending tubular opening26 by which suction or pressure may be applied to the interior of thepan and hence only to the area of the top defined by the recess 23. Thework 17 in the recess will be accordingly held against the top surfacewhen suction is applied at the opening 26 and blown from the surface ifair pressure is applied to the opening 26.

The pan 20 is mounted, as shown in FIG. 3, on a bracket 27 that includesoppositely extending lateral portions 28 and a downwardly extendingtubular portion 29 between the lateral portions 28. The tubular portion29 encompasses the exterior of a tube 30 for a substantial length toprovide a bearing surface therefor with the tube 30 communicating withthe opening 26 and a hose 30a, the latter being connectible to either asource of suction or pressure. Bushings 31 are carried by the lateralportions 28 while disposed between the pan and the surface of thelateral portion 28 is a washer 32. As more clearly shown in FIG. 1, thepresent invention includes a pair of parallel rods 33 fixed at one endto an L-shaped bracket 34 and having a spacer 35 secured adjacent theirother ends. The rods 33 pass through the bushings 31 and enable thebracket 27 carrying the pan to be movable axially of the rods. Inaddition, it will be appreciated that the pan may also pivot or rotatewith respect to the bracket 28, the washer 32 minimizing any frictiontherebetween.

The L-shaped bracket 34 is mounted on a stationary vertical pin 36secured to the table in any desired manner and the bracket 34 may pivotabout the pin 36. The other ends of the rods 33 extend beyond the spacer35 to be contained within the legs of a horizontally disposed guide 37that is substantially U-shaped in cross-section. The guide 37 is mountedfor vertical movement on a pair of spaced apart posts 38 that areconnected to a top plate 39 secured as by screws 40 to the top surfaceof the table 11 while the lower end of the posts 38 are secured to alower plate 41. Encircling the posts are springs 42 that urge the guide37 towards the lower plate 41. For raising the guide against theresistance of the springs 42, there is provided a solenoid 43 connectedas at 4 4 to the guide.

It will thus be appreciated that normally the guide 37 engages the lowerplate 41 by reason of the springs but that upon energization of thesolenoid 43, the solenoid causes the guide 37 to be raised to an upperposition. The movement of the support 37 is transferred to the pan 20 sothat it is also shifted between a lower and an upper position.

The foot 15, as shown in FIG. 5, includes aligning means which in thespecific embodiment shown consists of a pair of depending cylindricalpins 45 that project downwardly to approximately the lower surface 16 ofthe foot. The pins 45 are spaced laterally on either side of the centerline of the foot 15 and are secured adjacent the edge of the footnearest the shaft 14. The pan 20 also carries aligning means and in thespecific embodiment shown these consist of -a pair of V-blocks 46secured to the rear surface of the pan, with the blocks projectingupwardly above the surface 21 of the pan. The V-blocks 46 are accuratelypositioned on the pan 20 and as the pins 45 are similarly accuratelypositioned on the foot, whenever the pins are nested in the apex of theV of the blocks, the pan and the foot are accurately aligned. As beforementioned, the cutout 23 may be positioned accurately with respect tothe pan as by the aligning pins 25. The work positioned in the recess 23is thus accurately positioned on the pan, and hence may be accuratelypositioned with respect to the foot when the pins are nesting in theapex of the V-blocks.

In the operation of the disclosed device 10, the pan is initiallypositioned by an operator grasping a handle 47 secured to the pan anddrawing the pan to the dotted line position 20 where work may bepositioned in the recess 23 by the operator. Unless otherwise noted, theguide 37 is at its low position which is sufficiently low to place thetop of the V-blocks in a plane beneath the plane in which the footmoves. The operator then pushes the pan rightwardly, as shown in FIG. 1,until a depending dowel 48 on the pan engages an opening 49 formed in aflat plate 50 with the opening being closed by a spring urged pin 49a.The rods 33 have been positioned in their front solid line positionshown in FIG. 1 and maintained thereat by a spring urged pin 51 passingthrough an aperture 52 in the guide 37 to engage the side of the endportion of the adjacent rod while the other side of the rod engages astop 37a mounted on the guide.

The opening 49 and the spring urged pin 51 are positioned so that whenthe dowel 48 is in the opening and the pin engages the side of the red,the pan is positioned somewhere within the extremes of the path ofmovement of the foot. With the pan being thus positioned in its lowerposition and suction being applied through the opening 26, the work isthus held in the pan. As the foot in traversing its path approaches theplace where the pan is located, the solenoid 43 is energized, raisingthe guide 37 together with the pan 20 to the solid line upper positionshown in FIG. 2 at which time the dowel 48 frees itself from the recess49 and the rod frees itself from the spring urged pinv 51 so that thepan is now free to move. Moreover, the V-blocks are elevated to a levelwhere their entrance will be horizontally aligned with the pins 45 asthe foot continues its movement. After a short movement of the foot, thepins enter the entrance of the V-blocks to engage the sides of the V andthe pins cause the pan to move with the foot. If the pins are notexactly aligned with the apex of the V-blocks, they will initiallyengage a side of the V and exert a resulting force on the V-blocks thatcauses movement of the pan until the pins do nest in the apex of eachV-block. This aligning and mutual movement of the pan is accommodated bythe freely pivotable movement of the pan on the bracket 27 and thelongitudinal movement of the pan on the rods 33 While lateral movementof the pan towards the sewing machine is accommodated by the rods 33pivoting on the pin 36 and sliding in the guide 37.

The first portion of movement of the foot and pan will cause alignmenttherebetween and after this initial short movement, suction is removedfrom the pan 2! and pressure applied thereto while suction is applied tothe foot 15 through the shaft 14 to cause the work to be transferredfrom the pan to the foot by the difference in air pressure. The time fortransferring the work requires a length of movement of the foot andafter this movement, the solenoid 43 is deenergized causing the pan todrop to its low position which disengages the pins 45 from the V-blocks46, thereby freeing the pan from the foot. The foot continues on itsmovement, as disclosed in the a'bov noted application, while the panassumes a dotted line position beneath the plane of the foot Where itwas dropped from the foot. The operator then grasps the handle 47 andpulls the pan on the rods 33 to the dotted line position 20. The panduring the movement to the dotted line position 20 engages a cammingsurface 53 formed on the table which forces the rods 33 from theirrearward position to their forward position where they are held by thepin 51.

The above steps are repeated with the operator positioning work in therecess 23 and then moving the pan until there is engagement between thedowel 48 and re cess 49. Normally, the time for the operator to move thepan, position work thereon and then move the pan to be in alignment withthe path of travel of the foot requires less time than the foot requiresto complete its path and arrive above the pan. If the pan is not inposition however, the foot may be automatically stopped as more fullyhereinafter set forth.

Shown in FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the cam 13 with theupper surface of the cam having switch actuating surfaces 54, 55 and 56.The surface 56 is disclosed in the above-noted application and isutilized to operate a switch 56a that controls the length of themovement of the foot when the sewing machine is operated as by a clutchcontrolled solenoid 57 which also drives the driving member 18 in timedrelation therewith while for the other length of movement of the foot,the driving member is driven by an auxiliary motor 58. The surface 55operates a single pole double throw switch 55:: which basically controlssuction to the foot and pan. The surface 54 operates a double poledouble throw switch 54a and 5412 that controls energization of thesolenoid 43 and deenergization of the auxiliary motor 58. It

6 will be appreciated that the switches 54a and 54b, 55a and 56a areactuated only when their respective cam surfaces are positioned on theline substantially perpendicular to a line that is tangent to thedriving member 13 at its point of engagement with the cam 13.

Shown in FIG. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram containing theswitches 54a and 54b, 55a and 56a, the solenoid 43, the sewing machineclutch control solenoid 57 and the auxiliary motor 58. There is alsoshown a normally closed solenoid valve 529 that is connected between thepan 23 and a source of air pressure (not shown), a normally closedsolenoid valve 60 connected between the pan 2% and a source of suction(not shown) and a normally closed solenoid valve 61 connected betweenthe foot 15 and the source of suction. Energization of these valvesenables either pressure or suction to be applied to the pan and suctionto be applied to the foot. In addition, there is also disclosed amanually actuatable normally open switch 62 that is actuated by theoperator when the pan is in the loading position 20 after work has beenplaced thereon together with a relay 63 having a switch 63a, thatconstitutes holding circuit for maintaining energization of the valve 63after operation of the switch 62. For eliminating pressure after the panhas been dropped to the low position there is a switch 64 mounted on thetop plate as by a bracket 65 to be closed when the guide 37 is in itselevated position. The circuit further includes a switch 66 connected onthe plate 49 to be actuated by the dowel 48 when it is contained in therecess together with a double pole double throw relay 67 having switches67a and 67b. A source of electrical energy is connected to a pair ofleads 68 and 69 such as volts A.C.

In the above-described circuit, the switches are in their normal solidline position shown when the point A of the cam engages the drivingmember 18. When the point B of the cam is in engagement with the drivingmember 18, the operator should have work positioned in the recess 33,the switch 62 momentarily activated, the pan moved until it is under thepath of travel of the foot where the dowel 48 closes the switch 66.Momentary actuation of the switch 62 is sufficient to energize the relay63 to close switch 63a that energizes the suction valve 60 to supplysuction to the pan to hold the work with the valve 60 being maintainedenergized by current through the switches 55a and 63a.

As the foot continues its movement to the point C of the cam, thesurface 54 closes switches 54a and 54b and the solenoid 43 is energized,raising the pan to its elevated position. The foot then moves a shortdistance to the point D on the cam, which is a distance sufficient toenable the pins 45 to engage the V-blocks, initially move the pan andcause alignment between the pan and the foot, whereat the switch 55a isactuated by the beginning of the camming surface 55. The actuation ofthe switch 55a to its dotted line position opens relay switch 63a anddeenergizes the suction valve 60 with consequent removal of suction fromthe pan 20. In addition, switch 55a energizes valve 61 causing suctionto be applied to the foot and energizes valve 59 causing pressure to beapplied to the pan. The switch 64 is now closed by reason of the guide37 being elevated. The valves, by being in this condition ofenergization, cause transfer of the work from the pan to the foot.

During the transfer of the work, the foot has moved from the point D tothe point B that corresponds to the end of the camming surface 54 whichthen enables the switches 54a and 54b to move to their open position.Opening of switch 54a deenergizes the solenoid 43 so that the guide 37and pan are forced, by the springs 42 to their low position to causedisengagement between the foot and the pan and also opens switch 64 todeenergize pressure valve 59. Thus from this time the foot continues onits movement with only suction being applied to the foot while there isneither suction nor pres- "7 sure applied to the pan. At the point P onthe cam, the switch 56a is actuated, causing the sewing machine to beginsewing and drive the driving member while the auxiliary motor 58 becomesdeenergized. The operator then returns the pan to the loading position20' where the above cycle is repeated on the next piece of work.

In the event that the pan is not in position to acuate switch 66 whenthe switches 54a and 541) are actuated, the energy to the auxiliarymotor 58 is ceased, causing the foot to discontinue its movement. Thus,assuming that the switch 54b has been actuated and the switch 66 is inits non-actuated, solid line position, no current flows to the motor 58.When the switch 66 is finally closed, by the pan being properlypositioned, a circuit is established through the dotted line position ofswitch 66 to energize the relay 67. Current is then conducted to themotor through switch 67b while switch 67a establishes a holding circuitfor the relay. When the guide 37 rises, it enables switch 66 to assumeits solid line position, which has no effect on the motor, as the relay67 is maintained energized by its holding circuit. Similarly, a changein condition of the switch 54b, once the holding circuit is established,does not effect the energization of the motor 58. As the foot moves, theswitch 56a is subsequently actuated to deenergize the relay 67 and alsothe motor 58 when the sewing machine clutch solenoid 57 is energized. Itwill be appreciated that the switch 66 may be actuated at any time thatthe motor 58 is energized but only is effective to deenergize the motor58 when the pan is to engage the foot.

Shown in FIG. 8 is another embodiment of the guide 37 and indicated bythe reference numeral 79 which enables the guide to resiliently forcethe pan against the foot which may at times be found desirable if forexample the foot and/or pan additionally hold work by means of impalingpins. The guide 70 is substantially U-shaped in cross-section but has aflat spring 71 secured on its lower leg while the forward end portion ofthe upper leg is thickened as at 72 to maintain the vertical distancebetween the legs of the guide. It will be appreciated that the ends ofthe rods 33 are initially at the portion 72, are moved leftwardly inthis figure while the pan and foot become aligned and are thenresiliently urged upwardly by the spring 71 with subsequent movement ofthe pan. When one or both ends of the rods are on the spring 71, thespring will urge the rods upwardly until the surface 16 of the footengages the work in the recess 23 of the pan and the spring 71 will, byflattening, absorb the excess movement of the ends of the rods.

In the above disclosed embodiment of the invention, the pan and footafter alignment are mutually moved during the transferring of the workfrom the pan to the foot. Additionally, the movement of the footprovides in effect a timing sequence for the various operations. Attimes however it may be found desirable to transfer the work while thepan and foot are stationary without any substantial movement during orafter the transfer. To achieve such a transfer, the pan has securedthereto aligning means 73, as shown in FIG. 9, which is employedtogether with the cam 74 shown in FIG. 11 and the circuit shown in FIG.12. Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and the aligning means 73 consists of a pair ofblocks 75 with each formed to provide a funnel shaped surface 76 thatterminates in a cylindrical bore 77 having substantially the samediameter as the pins 45. In use, the foot is stopped at the point C, thepan is raised to its upper position wherein each pin 45 enters itsmating bore 77 to align the pan and foot, the valves 59, tit) and 61 areactuated to transfer the work, the pan is forced to its lower positionand the foot is caused to begin to move along its predetermined path.

The cam 74 is the same as the cam 13 with the exception that the cammingsurface 55 begins at the point C instead of at the point D. Theelectrical circuit is also similar. However in order to provide theproper timing sequences, there is added two time delay relays 78 and 79having normally open switches 78a and 78b and 7911 respectively. Theswitch 78a is interconnected between the switch 67b and the motor 58while the switch 78b is interconnected between the switch 54a and themotor 58. The switch 79a is connected in series with the switch 550.

In the operation of the above circuit at the point C, the switches 54a,54b and a are actuated, energizing the solenoid 43 through switch 78band deenergizing the motor 58 by the switch 78a being open. Also theswitch 55a is closed and serves to energize the time delay relay 7)which after one or two seconds changes the position of the switch 7%causing the valves 59, and 61 to be operated to effect transfer of thework from the pan to the foot. The time delay introduced by the relay 79is to enable the pan to be moved upward and become aligned with the footbefore the work is transferred.

A few seconds after the switch 7% changes its position, the relay 78becomes operative to change the positions of the switches 78a and 78b.This change energizes the motor 53 and deenergizes the solenoid 43 whichcauses the pan to be dropped to its low position and the foot to beginits movement from the point C. Subsequent movement of the foot causesthe previously described operations to be effected at the various pointsof the cam with of course the point D being omitted.

It will accordingly be understood that there has been disclosed a workholding and transferring device for use with an automatic guidingapparatus having a foot that holds the work. The foot is caused to movealong a predetermined but not completely predictable path and at apreselected location, work is accurately transferred to the foot. Thisis achieved by having the work held in a recess formed in a pan, and byhaving the pan mounted for rotational, lateral and longitudinalmovement. Cooperating aligning means carried by the pan and foot areengaged with the foot causing the pan to move until any misalignmentbetween the foot and pan is overcome and they are aligned. The work isthen transferred from the pan to the foot and the pan is lowered belowthe foot, causing them to become disengaged and each is 0 thus able totraverse its own course. The course of the foot is to have the desiredline of stitching formed in the work while the pan is moved to alocation remote from the foot where the next piece or pieces of work maybe precisely positioned on the pan for subsequent transferal to thefoot. In one embodiment, the pan and foot are mutually moving in alignedrelation during the transfer of the work while in another embodiment thepan and foot are stationary during the transfer of the work. In bothembodiments however, the pan is mounted for free movement to enable thealigning means of the foot to engage the aligning means of the pan tocause the latter to move until alignment is achieved before transferringthe work.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsand portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and an automaticguiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined path past theneedle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a foot forcarrying the work and means for moving the foot along a predeterminedpath and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignment with saidneedle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path; a work holding and transfering device comprising awork holder adapted to hold work, means mounting the work holder forfree movement, aligning means mounted on said holder, cooperatingaligning means mounted on said foot, means for relatively moving thework holder and 9 foot to effect engagement between the aligning meansand the cooperating aligning means to cause said foot and holder tobecome aligned and means for transferring the work from the holder tothe foot.

2. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and an automaticguiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined path past theneedle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a foot forcarrying the work and means for moving the foot along a predeterminedpath and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignment with saidneedle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path; a work holding and transferring device comprising awork holder adapted to hold work, means mounting the work holder forfree movement, aligning means mounted on said holder, cooperatingaligning means mounted on said foot, means for shifting the aligningmeans of the work holder into and out of position to engage the aligningmeans of the foot, means for relatively moving the Work holder and footduring engagement between the aligning means and the cooperatingaligning means to cause said foot and holder to become aligned and meansfor transferring the work from the holder to the foot.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the means fortransferring includes means connected to the foot and work holder forapplying a difference in air pressure thereto.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which the means fortransferring includes means for resiliently forcing the work carried bythe holder against the foot.

5. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and an automaticguiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined path past theneedle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a foot forcarrying the work and means for moving the foot along a predeterminedpath and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignment with saidneedle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path, said foot moving in a plane; a Work holding andtransferring device comprising a work holder, means mounting the workholder for free movement, aligning means mounted on said holder,cooperating aligning means mounted on said foot and movable in the planeof the foot, means normally positioning the work holder aligning meansout of the plane of the cooperating aligning means and for moving thework holder aligning means into the plane of the cooperating aligningmeans to effect engagement between the aligning means and thecooperating aligning means to cause said foot and holder to becomealigned and means for transferring the work from the holder to the foot.

6. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and an automaticguiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined path past theneedle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a foot forcarrying the work and means for moving the foot along a predeterminedpath and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignment with saidneedle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path, said foot moving in a plane; a work holding andtransferring device comprising a work holder, means mounting the workholder for free movement, aligning means mounted on said holder,cooperating aligning means mounted on said foot and movable in the planeof the foot, means normally positioning the work holder aligning meansand out of the plane of the cooperating aligning means for moving theWork holder aligning means into the plane of the cooperating aligningmeans to effect engagement between the aligning means and thecooperating aligning means to cause said foot and holder to becomealigned, means for transferring the Work from the holder to the foot andmeans for enabling the holder to be moved into and away from thepredetermined path when it is in its normal position.

7. In combination with a sewing machine having a ating aligning means tocause said foot and holder to become aligned, means for transferring thework from foot and means for moving the work holier to its normalposition after the transfer of the wor 8. The invention as defined inclaim 7 in which the foot is maintained moving along its predeterminedpath during the transfer of the Work, the aligning means and in claim 7in which there are means for stopping the movement of the foot in itspredetermined path during the transfer and the means for moving the workholder to its normal position includes a time delay circuit means.

It). In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and anautomatic guiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined pathpast the needle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a footfor carrying the work and means for moving the foot along apredetermined path and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignmentwith said needle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path; a work holding and transferring device comprising awork holder adapted to hold work, means mounting the work holder forfree movement and for movement into a selected location that issubstantially at a position in the path of travel of the foot, aligningmeans mounted on said holder, cooperating aligning means mounted on saidfoot, means for relatively moving the Work holder and foot to effectengagement between the aligncooperating aligning means to cause saldfoot and holder to become aligned, means connected to the means forrelatively moving the work holder and foot and operative to actuate therelative moving means when the foot is at its position and means fortransferring the work from the holder to the foot.

11. The invention as defined in claim 10 in which means for actuatingthe relatively moving means includes means for sensing the absence ofthe work holder at its position and means for preventing movement of thefoot past its position when the absence of the work holder is sensed.

12. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and anautomatic guiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined pathpast the needle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a footfor carrying the Work and means for moving the foot along apredetermined path and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignmentwith said needle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path; a work holding and transferring device comprising aWork holder adapted to hold work, means mounting the work holder forfree movement and including a pair of elongate, parallel rods, meansmounting the rods for vertical and horizontal pivotal movement, abracket slidably mounted on the rods, means mounting the work holder forrotational movement on the bracket, aligning means mounted on saidholder, cooperating aligning means mounted on said foot, means forrelatively moving the work holder and foot by moving the rods verticallyto eilect engagement between the aligning means and the cooperatingaligning means to cause said foot and holder to become aligned and meansfor transferring the work from the holder to the foot.

13. In combination with a sewing machine having a needle and anautomatic guiding apparatus for guiding work in a predetermined pathpast the needle of said sewing machine, said apparatus including a footfor carrying the work and means for moving the foot along apredetermined path and for pivoting the foot about a point in alignmentwith said needle upon a deviation of the movement of the foot from itspredetermined path; a work holding and transferring device comprising awork holder adapted to hold work, means mounting the work holder forfree movement, alignment means mounted on said holder, cooperatingaligning means mounted on said foot, means for relatively moving thework holder and foot to effect engagement between the aligning means andthe cooperating aligning means, means for causing said foot and holderto become aligned and mutually moved for a length of the path of travelof the foot and means for transferring the work from the holder to thefoot only when the foot and holder are being mutually moved.

References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,880,683 4/1959 Abel 112-22,982,238 5/1961 Fromm 112-2 3,097,617 7/1963 Reid et al. 112-23,170,423 2/ 1965 Henebry 112-2 3,174,447 3/1965 Bono 112-2 JORDANFRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

J. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE AND AN AUTOMATICGUIDING APPARATUS FOR GUIDING WORK IN A PREDETERMINED PATH PAST THENEEDLE OF SAID SEWING MACHINE, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A FOOT FORCARRYING THE WORK AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE FOOT ALONG A PREDETERMINEDPATH AND FOR PIVOTING THE FOOT ABOUT A POINT IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAIDNEEDLE UPON A DEVIATION OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE FOOT FROM ITSPREDETERMINED PATH; A WORK HOLDING AND TRANSFERING DEVICE COMPRISING AWORK HOLDER ADAPTED TO HOLD WORK, MEANS MOUNTING THE WORK HOLDER FORFREE MOVEMENT, ALIGNING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HOLDER, COOPERATINGALIGNING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FOOT, MEANS FOR RELATIVELY MOVING THEWORK HOLDER AND FOOT TO EFFECT ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE ALIGNING MEANS ANDTHE COOPERATING ALIGNING MEANS TO CAUSE SAID FOOT AND HOLDER TO BECOMEALIGNED AND MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING THE WORK FROM THE HOLDER TO THE FOOT.